THE Franciscan Well is set to host up to 20 Irish craft brewers and some great live music at its annual Easter Beer Festival in Cork this coming April 15-16.

Now in its 18th year, the Easter Beer Festival will showcase the latest and finest contemporary craft brews from around the country while affording the public the opportunity to gain insights on brewing methods and some of the tricks of a quickly growing trade.

The Easter Beer Festival has become a mainstay on the Cork events calendar over the years and follows in the wake of the Franciscan Well’s hugely successful Great Irish Beer Festival at Cork City Hall in September 2016. The Cork brewery has forged strong links throughout the Irish brewing community, becoming a focal point in the industry for conventions and gatherings such as the Easter Beer Festival.

Brewing fans will also have the chance to sample some fantastic Blues music over the weekend as the festival is set to play host to bands such as Boxcar Bertha, One Horse Pony and the Brewhouse Quartet. A heated Bavarian-style beer tent will house some of the country’s most innovative brewers including Rising Sons, Trouble Brewing, Torc and Yellowbelly, alongside some of Cork’s best in 9 White Deer, Cottonball and Blacks of Kinsale.

“The Easter Beer Festival has been a fantastic showcase of the Irish beer industry and its great to be able to host it here in Cork,” says Shane Long of The Franciscan Well. “For the past 18 years, the festival has grown in tandem with the incredible creativity and craftsmanship of the Irish brewing scene. It’s also a great event to meet your favorite brewers and sample some new arrivals from around the country.”

The Franciscan Well’s new cocktail bar, The Stave & Chime, will be open over the course of the Easter Beer Festival, offering a range of innovative concoctions invented to challenge tastes and perceptions of traditional cocktail norms. The complete Franciscan Well range includes the well-known Rebel Red and Chieftain IPA, as well as Friar Weisse, Shandon Stout, Jameson Stout, Jameson Pale Ale, and the seasonal brews created on-site. All of the beers brewed at The Franciscan Well use the finest natural ingredients and are additive-free.